Deadly Floods Hit Central Europe

Days of heavy rainfall have triggered devastating floods across Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Austria, leading to widespread evacuations, the collapse of several bridges and a rising death toll. Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes. Tragically, 17 people across the region have lost their lives due to the extreme weather.

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a state of emergency as thousands were evacuated from the affected areas.  A state of emergency has been declared in northeastern Czech Republic, where several towns were submerged over the weekend due to severe flooding.  Hungary and Slovakia are bracing for the next wave of extreme rainfall, with residents in Bratislava and Budapest preparing for potential floods. The mayor of Budapest has warned residents to expect the most severe flooding in over a decade in the coming days.

The severe flooding has resulted in significant freight transport disruptions.   On Monday, Hungarian authorities closed the border bridge on Main Road 14, halting road traffic to Slovakia. Additionally, road closures have been reported in Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Austria, with secondary road closures in Bavaria and Saxony, Germany. A customer advisory has been issued by carriers, warning of significant reductions or stoppages in rail traffic since the weekend due to widespread flooding. Services to and from Austria, particularly through Linz and Krems, connecting to all ports in the METRANS network, have been heavily impacted.

Operations in the Czech Republic, especially via Ostrava, are also disrupted, as the terminal remains inaccessible. Additionally, the Usti and Labem terminal has been closed due to rising water levels.

The advisory noted that, while routes to northern ports are still passable, the situation on the Elbe River is being closely monitored. With floodwaters not yet reaching their peak, there is a risk that traffic could be completely halted. In addition, all trains in the Bilk-Schedule are currently halted en route to and from Budapest, with no clear timeline for when regular freight services will resume.

WBS will continue to monitor the situation. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the deadly floods.